Buying from Crower Cams

Nick Moore · Post by **Nick Moore** » Wed May 30, 2007 9:03 pm

Has anyone else ever had a request like this? After a lot of dithering over what camshaft is best, this week I ordered a Crower 50232 direct from their shop. I'm in Australia, so it makes sense to buy direct rather than from a UK Rover specialist. Yesterday I got an email:
"Dear Nicholas ,

FRAUD PREVENTION IFORMATION

If you want to use an international credit card to pay for your order. We will need a copy of your monthly credit card bank statement. We do not need to see amounts or balances. What we do need is the name and address to match the ship and bill to information on your internet order.

Your freight estimate :$85.00 - we found FedEx is one of the cheapest way to ship. Average ship time 3 to 4 days.

Please reply with FRAUD PREVENTION INFORMATION and freight estimate approval.

Note: If you use an American Express credit card you do not need to supply any fraud prevention information.

Please fax or e-mail info as soon as possible. fax: 619-661-6466 Attn: DJ Hernandez
dj@crower.com"

I don't have a fax, and don't like the idea of photographing my bank statement and emailing it to an unsecured address. Sod 'em, I've never had this hassle from Summit Racing! Is it getting harder to buy parts over the internet from the US? Am I just being a suspicious, nigardy old fool?

ihatesissycars · Post by **ihatesissycars** » Wed May 30, 2007 9:25 pm

In this day and age if i get a whiff of anything even remotely iffy i'd run a mile and leave it. Not worth the risk.

Stick with summit.

TR7V8 · Post by **TR7V8** » Wed May 30, 2007 9:41 pm

Nick, you are right to be cautious about the request for information. There is a big problem with card fraud on the net & obtaining personal info such as name & address is part of the fraudsters scam.

Your copy bank or card statement even with the balances etc blanked out could be used to produce a document to impersonate you - you have heard no doubt of identity theft!

I will make an assumption that the internet card authorisation process in the US is similar to that in the UK. If so, when Crower process your order, the card payment will be processed by a payment intermediary for Crower who carry out the security checks with your card issuer or bank & get authorisation.

Once Crower get the authorisation & assuming that you are not requesting shipping to a 3rd party address, there is absolutely no reason for them to request any further personal details from you.

I would contact Crower through a different method (eg their website) & query this request with them before you do anything else. Unless you get a good explanation then leave it & order elsewhere.

Post by **katanaman** » Wed May 30, 2007 10:18 pm

contact your card issuer in the morning and ask them if it is right. They will tell you instantly if your being had or not and they will also be able to tell you if Crower have made a credit check on your card or not. Personally I wouldn't go any further. Even if you did fax them a statement its proof of nothing. I could make a good fake statement in about 10 mins for faxing, they should know this and so do credit card companies. Besides if your card company wants to check something they will phone you as they have done with me a couple of times.

Nick Moore · Post by **Nick Moore** » Thu May 31, 2007 1:30 am

Thanks guys, I contacted Crower through their website and the same guy replied - meaning nothing, if he can reply to the order he can reply again. I've cancelled the order (was tempted to tell them to fornicate right off), gone to Summit, and saved nearly $60 in freight as well!

Good advice as always

Eliot · Post by **Eliot** » Thu May 31, 2007 7:38 am

definatley seems suspect.